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In many ways the Portégé Z30 is the business traveler's perfect device. It combines the low weight, slim profile and the lengthy battery of an Ultrabook with the port diversity and strong inputs of a business laptop. But for most users, these features won't add enough value to justify the Z30's over the top price.
We liked
The Z30 is the "all are welcome" Ultrabook. Don't like a trackpad? Use the pointing stick. Don't want to keep a list of passwords? It has a fingerprint sensor. No Wi-Fi in that potential new client's office? There's an ethernet jack. Thanks to its numerous ports and inputs, the Z30 adapts to any need...
We disliked
...Unless that need is high definition video and audio. It's unfortunate the Z30 couldn't at least provide 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, the minimum most of us now expect from our displays.
Final verdict
Laptops with a $1,500 price tag need to do something special. And in today's market, a laptop with "a lot of ports and inputs" may be different, but it's not special.
The Portégé Z30, with its pointing stick and RGB port, is basically an IBM ThinkPad with its stomach stapled. Until its price comes down, this old-at-heart laptop will only satisfy business travelers who have very particular security, durability and client needs – or an extreme case of nostalgia.
